This Crochet Amigurumi Dragon is an intermediate project that allows for lots of color variation and personalization. Though you work with very simple and basic stitches, like single crochet stitches, you're also working with thinner yarn and much smaller hooks, which can be a little tricky. Plus, once you finish all the individual body parts of the dragon, you will have to sew them together. Once you've worked up your crochet amigurumi friend, go ahead and crochet a little embellishment, like a flower, to accessorize your little dragon friend.

Needle Sculpting the Head:
Place 4 pins on the head for easier sculpting: two for eyes, two for ends of the mouth.
Thread the needle with same yarn used for crocheting the body. Make a knot on one side of the yarn threaded on needle so it will stick and hold our work inside the stuffing.
Start from the back of the head. Push the needle towards left eye and pin we placed.
Wrap the yarn over one stitch and push the needle towards the mouth edge or lower pin on the same face side.
Pull yarn a little so you create place where eye will come later.
Now wrap one stitch with the yarn where edge of the mouth will be and again push the needle on the head. This time push it towards the second eye, or next pin we placed for where eyes will be.
Once the needle is out, pull a little to sculpt the face.
Now the last one push and pull before our sculpting is done. We have to finish with the last pin or other edge of the mouth.
And one more time, wrap the yarn over one stitch (where pin for eye was placed or where eye place will be created) and push the needle through the head, towards mouth corner or last pin there is to be worked.
Pull the needle out, wrap it around one stitch here and push the needle towards the bottom head opening (for easier tying the yarn and hiding yarn later)
Now pull slightly and try to sculpt the face.
Pull the yarn few times, observe the face. Look how the sculpting is working and what tension of yarn pulled you like the best.
When completely satisfied with what you see, knot the yarn inside the stuffing, cut the yarn and hide ends.

Adding Yarn Mouth:
I added the mouth using same color yarn as I used for the body. When I finished the dragon I colored the mouth using sharpie marker. Added just tiny bit of color. You can do the same way, coloring the mouth later, with sharpies or oil based crayons, or you can use red, or pink, or any other color of your choice and add mouth during this step.
Thread the needle again, and push it towards one side of the mouth we previously created. This is very simple! You just need to add yarn mouth in one simple wrap.
Once the needle and yarn are out, simply place the yarn over the front part of the face where you wish mouth to be. Push the needle back to the head. Observe if one layer of yarn is enough and if you like it this way. If you wish you can add one more layer, repeating what we just did one more time (but do not repeat it more than two times, otherwise your mouth will end up
messy and bulky).
Once you are done, finish with pushing needle towards the bottom head opening.
Tie the yarn making knots inside the stuffing, cut and hide inside the head.

Eyes (make 2):
With crochet thread No.10 and steel hook of 1.50 or 1.75 mm, start using black, for pupil.Rnd 1: Sc6 in magic ring.Rnd 2: Inc6. (12 sts)
Change color to one of your choice, to make iris.Rnd 3: Ssl st, 2sc in next st, 2hdc in next 2 stitches, 2sc in next st, slip stitch to next and tie off.
Embroider white lines or dots on each of the eye to bring life to them. Use photo as reference.

Ears (make 2):
Ch4.Rnd 1: Sc2, 3 sc in one stitch, work around chain, sc2.Rnd 2: Ch1 turn. Sc2, 2sc in next st, 2dc in next st, 2 sc in next st, sc2.
Tie off leaving long end for sewing ears on the head later.

Back Bone Ridge:
Before creating back bone ridge, tail to the body has to be added and sewed. Place the tail (looking from the bottom of the body) right after 5th round. The tail has to be centered in the back. Stuff it very well and very firm, pin it all the way and sew around.
In this tutorial I will show you one way, crocheting directly on the body, on how to make back bone ridge. For those that find this way difficult, you can simply make it separate, by making chain, long enough to fit the top of the head, over the body and finishing at the end of dragons tail.
55 chains is what you will have to start with (but depending on your crochet work, you might want to check it before continuing with the next row. Simply place it on the dragon and measure the length and how it fits). Once you have the chain ready, follow the pattern described below.
To make it as easy as possible, as we have to crochet creating straight line over the head, back and tail area, I used sharpie in the light color, matching the color of the yarn I used (so it doesn’t show and can’t be seen later) and simply draw the line I will crochet over.
Now slip stitch on the first stitch marked on top of the head, and let us start. Body is stuffed very firm, and stitching through stitches like this can be frustrating.
Using your line as a guide stitch through all stitches marked. From top of the head to the end of the tail. You should finish with approximately 55 stitches across. Don’t worry if you have them less or more. It depends on how you stitches through this guide line and stitches used on the body.
As you finished the last stitch, chain2 and stitch 4dc in the 3st from hook *skip one st, sl st to next st, skip one st, 4 dc in next st* repeat this pattern across Around the neck area, slip stitch several stitches, 3-4, simply to make it easier to continue work and not to make shells overlapping each other.
Reaching the last stitch on the head, finish with 5dc and tie off hiding the thread inside the head.Little piece of advice: I have worked with pink colored both rows when crocheting back bone ridge. I suggest you use the same color yarn you used for the body when crocheting the first row and change the color before starting second row. This way, even if you make little mistake crocheting the first row directly through stitches on head, body, tail, they will not be so visible and your work will look perfect.

Assembly:
By now we have sewed the tail and added the back bone ridge.
Turn your dragon upside down, and observe where tail is added. We sait to place it right
after 5th round.
Do the same with placing the legs. Place them tight after 5th round. I have left 5
stitches between them but you try different ways to see which one suits you the best.
Important is, when legs are placed, together with tail they make dragon easy to sit. So
keep that in mind when adding legs.
Arms place on side of the body, right below the head (or using R3 of the body to place
them).
Wings-sew them on the back, one on each side of the back bone ridge, right below the
back of the head.
Belly appliqué, place it on the belly and simply sew on.
Head features - use these two photos as your guide
The only thing I would like to add is when placing the eyes on. I like to use glue when
attaching the eyes. If eye is big, I like to sew it around using invisible thread. This is
just the way I like my eyes to be.
I also like to use very thin black marker to outline the eye to give them cartoon look.
Advice:
Never use yarn when attaching the eyes. They will end up bulky and not nice. If you
dislike the idea of using glue or invisible thread (or don’t have them at home) simply take
and use thread in matching color of your eyes. This way you will get the seamless edge
and your eyes will look nice.

These little dragons are just precious, and photos! lots of photos! One of my other hobbies is soft sculpture doll making, and the designers explanation of how to sculpt the face is spot on. I love her method of working the eyes, too. I have used glue to place the eyes, but I always stitch around them so they will be completely secure. Pay special attention to her tips at the bottom of the pattern, too.

Hi Franriley,
For your question, I would recommend you post it to AllFreeCrochet's Facebook wall (facebook.com/allfreecrochet) - we have a community of friendly crocheters who frequent the page, and they can surely offer some advice!
Thanks,
Julia, editor for AllFreeCrochet

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